Microprocessor controlled evaporative cooler

ABSTRACT

An air cooling apparatus comprised of an injector cabinet fitted with a plurality electric solenoid operated injector valves, or standard nozzles which are controlled by an advanced computerized system which regulates the amount of moisture added to the air stream by activating the injectors based on direct measurement of indoor and outdoor dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures, mass flow through the apparatus and the thermostat setting. This water injection module may be located either upstream or downstream of any air-moving device. The device is also adaptable for use with existing coolers as a retrofit kit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX.” (SEE 37 CFR 1.96 (c)).

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to air-cooling and particularly toevaporative air conditioning, in which the air is cooled through thelatent heat of evaporation of water. This invention provides for precisecontrol of the evaporated water, which allows precise control of theoutlet temperature and utilizes only the required amount of water toachieve the set temperature, thus conserving water.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forevaporative air conditioning in which exact control of the outlettemperature and the cooling efficiency is increased through enhancedcontrol of the amount of water added to the inlet air stream, and toeliminate the use of a water reservoir, wetted pads, circulation pump,float valve and the necessity of bleeding water.

The invention is carried out by temperature sensors measuring the wetand dry bulb temperatures of the ambient air, which signals received bythe microprocessor which calculates the amount of moisture contained inthe ambient air. A second pair of temperature sensors measure the wetand dry bulb temperatures of the area to be cooled, feeding theirsignals to the microprocessor which calculates the amount of moisture inthe interior air. These values along with a signal from a mass flowsensor are compared in the microprocessor which determines the amount ofmoisture to be added to the inlet air stream for optimum cooling. Thespeed of the air moving device and the amount of moisture to be added tothe inlet air may also controlled by the microprocessor based on the settemperature of the thermostat. The moisture is added to the air streamby electrically operated solenoid injector valves, or control of a waterpump, that cycle based on signals from the microprocessor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The object and attendants advantages of this invention will becomereadily apparent to anyone familiar with the field of the inventionfollowing the detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the control system.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the injector section and controlsensor locations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention a substantially cubic orcylindrical injector nozzle cabinet 10 is fitted with a water manifold12, which is provided with a plurality of electric solenoid injectorvalves, or other nozzles 11, which receive water from a filtrationsystem 13 which is fed from a domestic water source 14.

The ambient air wet bulb temperature is measured by a sensor 1, and theambient dry bulb temperature is measured by a sensor 2. As analternative, a humidity sensor can replace devices 1 and 2. Thesesignals are fed to a microprocessor 7, which calculates the ambientrelative humidity and the grains of moisture per pound of ambient air.The inside wet bulb temperature is measured by a sensor 3, and theindoor dry bulb temperature is measured by a sensor 4. These signals arefed to a microprocessor 7, which calculates the indoor relative humidityand the grains of moisture per pound of air. The amount of inlet air ismeasured by the mass flow sensor 6, which sends a signal to themicroprocessor 7, which in turn calculates the amount of moisture to addto the ambient air stream and the dwell time for the water injectors 8,and may further control the speed of the air moving device 9.

1. An apparatus for cooling air by means of the latent heat ofevaporation of water comprised of a cabinet containing a new and novelplurality of electric solenoid operated injectors, or standard nozzleswhose injection rate is controlled by a microprocessor that senses massflow, inside and ambient wet and dry bulb temperatures and the settemperature of the thermostat, determines the relative humidity of theambient and inside air and properly adjusts the amount of water injectedinto the inlet air stream as well as optionally controlling the speed ofthe air moving device.